Cardiac Pacing in the Critical Care Setting

Cardiac pacing can play an integral role in the management of critically ill patients. This role is not limited to the appropriate implementation of temporary cardiac pacing, but also includes maximizing therapies already available through a patient’s previously implanted permanent pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Complications related to the implanted device can also lead to a need for management within the critical care setting. Finally, a permanent cardiac device can interact, and at times interfere, with therapies such as intravenous monitoring line placement, and external cardioversion and defibrillation.